A new Perspective
CHAMPIONS
LEAGUE
It's good to see top players using their
experience in the administration of clubs. Like
Thomas Wernersson, IFK Goteborg's goal
keeper when they reached the semi-finals of
the Champions Clubs Cup in 1986, who
reappeared in the UEFA Champions League
as the Swedish club's General Manager.
But now Rune Bratseth has become the
first man since the UEFA Champions League
format was introduced to take part as both
player and administrator. Having marshalled
the defence at SV Werder Bremen, he's now
back as General Manager of Rosenborg BK.
It's little more than a year since he retired
after 60 international appearances for Norway.
He joined Bremen in 1986 and became so
moch of an institution in the Bundesliga that
the club was reluctant to let him go. They
maintained the retired Rune as a registered
player and during last season's infury crisis,
back he came to make his 230th Bundesliga
appearance. Expecting him to add to his tally
of 12 goals would have been asking too
much
Now, at 34, Rune is thriving in his new job.
"Participating in the UEFA Champions League
was a great experience", he recalls. "We were
the first German club to have the chance to
play the very best teams in this competition,
so it was very special and a very big challen
ge. I treasure all my memories, but especially
that home match against Anderlecht in the
1993-94 campaign. They played us off the
park in the first hatf and they wer still 3-0 up
with 23 minutes to go. When we scored five
goals in 20 minutes, well, it can only be descri
bed as a football miracle. It was a wonderful
night, not only for the players but also for the
fans".
"At Rosenborg, being in the UEFA
Champions League has a very big importance
in both sporting and financial terms. We are
not a wealthy club so it was a great perfor
mance just to qualify. For several reasons. The
UEFA Champions League is a very exiting and
very professional concept involving the very
best teams. The risk is that the differences
and the distances between the smaller nations
and the major powers might get bigger and
take away our chance to earn the big money.
So for the whole of Norwegian football it is
important to have proved that we can play
with the best in Europe. Now we have to
show that we can compete with the best in
Europe".
"Personally, this is a big challenge involving
a lot of work. But it is worthwhile because it is
important for everyone to get to know
Rosenborg".
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